Fuel can adapter



Aug. 221%7 w. 0. DAY 3,337,037

FUEL CAN ADAPTER Filed Dec. 1, 1965 INVENTOR 7 M; TEE 0. any

a 7M. 223 #3145 BY wlr/J w 20%- 51 i rp/f 1 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,337,097 FUEL CAN ADAPTER Walter 0. Day, Rte. 1, Box 108, Marshall, Va. 22115 Filed Dec. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 511,305 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-464) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The device of this invention is an adapter which is readily insertable into a fuel can, such as an oil drum. This adapter has a centrally located fuel channel which extends into the fuel can through the adapter to an outside fuel conductor for delivery of the contents of the fuel can to some outside receptacle. Securing means are provided that engage the edges of the opening in the wall of the fuel can to hold the adapter in place and to seal the adapter to the fuel can so that the only path for the fuel to leave the can is through the fuel channel. A toroidal washer surrounds the fuel channel and is dimentioned to snugly fit within the threads which otherwise receive the mating threads on the fuel can cap.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalties thereon.

The invention relates to fuel transfer procedures and, more particularly, to a fuel can adapter.

In the transfer of fuel from rigid cans to vehicle fuel tanks or to othre cans or other containers, prior fuel can adapters have failed to give assured delivery of fuel, failed to form a complete seal with the can to prevent leakage, or have been cumbersome and diflicult to put into operating condition.

It is, therefore, a feature of this invention that the attachment means of the fuel can adapter be sealed to the fuel can so as to preclude leakage.

It is a further feature of this invention that the fuel can adapter provides assured delivery of the fuel. I

A still further feature of this invention is that the fuel can adapter can be readily inserted and secured in the can for instantaneous utilization.

The exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from consideration of the following specification relating to the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of my fuel can adapter in its nonoperational condition.

FIG. 2 is a side view of my fuel can adapter in its operational condition with a portion of the fuel can being shown in section.

FIG. 3 is a top view of my fuel can adapter in its nonoperational condition.

FIG. 4 is a section view as seen along line 44 in FIG. 3.

In a typical embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, body member or head has connected thereto by connecting means 21 a clamp handle 11 which engages a metal, steel or the like material, washer 12 by means of a cam surface 13. Metal washer 12 surrounds cylindrical head 10 to form a support for a flexible gasket 14 made of rubber, neoprene, or material D735 as specified by the American Society for Testing and Materials, which engages the outer surface of a fuel can or drum onto'which the assembly is mounted. Below the gasket 14 is a compressible resilient toroidal body sealing ring 15 made of material as disclosed for resilient gasket 14 above. Surrounding resilient body 15 is a spider spring 16 having a metal washer shape surrounding head member 10 and spider arm means 3,337,097 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 "Ice 16 depending therefrom in spaced relationship around the periphery of resilient body 15 and extending to a conic surface 17 which is an extension of head member 10. Extending from bottom of the cylindrical portion of head 10 is an annular ledge 20 which forms a support for resilient body 15 in opposition to annular section of spider means 16. Annular ledge 20 is more clearly shown in FIG. 4. Conic surface 17 forms the bottom of the head 10, being narrowest just below the lip and extending outward a distance necessary for the full travel on the arms 16 of the spider to be expanded enough to lock the adapter within the fuel drum opening.

A fluid channel means, such as pipe 18, extends from head member 10 to a depth required by the depth of the fuel can from the fuel can cap opening 24, as shown in FIG. 2. The fuel channel means extends through head member 10 in its opposite direction through outlet means 19. Pipe 18 may be made of copper to minimize sparking hazards in the presence of fuel vapors.

FIG. 2 shows the fuel can adapter of this invention inserted within the opening 24 of an oil drum 22. Handle 11 has been swung fully to the light in the drawing to expose the outlet end 19 of the channel means 18 to which is connected the output lines for delivery of the fuel to its destination. With handle 11 in the position shown on FIG. 2, cam surface 13 has increased the distance between handle securing means 21 and washer 12 to raise head member 10 and the annular ledge 20 to compress resilient means 15 to expand spider legs 16 and tightly fit the periphery of resilient means 15 and the bottom of washer 14 to the inner surface of fuel can opening 24 and the contacted surface 22 of the exterior of the fuel can.

The adapter of this invention is readily removed by swinging the handle 11 to the left as shown in FIG. 1, the same as for mounting the adapter on the fuel drum.

FIG. 3 shows the adapter of this invention as seen from above. Handle 11 covers outlet 19 and cam surfaces 13 are shown up and away from washer 12. The adapter in FIG. 3 is in its unclamped condition, ready to be mounted on a fuel drum.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the adapter as seen along line 44 in FIG. 3. The attachment of handle 11 to head 10 by bolts 21 is clearly shown. Also, a bleeder passage 23 is shown to relieve pressure differences between the interior and exterior of the fuel drum.- Ease of emptying the drum is afforded thereby. FIG. 4 further shows the metal washer 12 supporting the rubber or similar material washer 14 with the resilient member 15 supported on one side by the washer portion of the spider 16 and the ledge 20 at the base of the head 10, just above the conical section 17 which spreads the spider arms 16 upon application of cam surface 13 to washer 12.

The fuel can adapter of this invention provides a leakproof seal with the fuel drum to which it is instantly attached and the fuel is readily removed from the fuel drum to a receptacle. The simplicity of the adapter renders it free from cumbersomeness and operating difficulties have been removed thereby.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claim, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

In a fuel can adapter; a cylindrical head means having a fuel discharge channel extending therethrough whose inner end is adapted to extend into the can interior when said adapter is disposed in the can opening, said head being provided with a base having outward divergent conic configuration, an annular ledge extending outwardly from said cylindrical head means, a toroidal sealing means supported on said ledge with said cylindrical head means extending therethrough, an annular spider means slidably mounted on said head means, said spider means having a plurality of resilient arms extending across the outer edges of said toroidal sealing means to ride on said conic section, a gasket means and a washer means of greater diameter than said spider means slidably mounted on said head means, and securing means attached to said head means, said securing means including an element, pivoted to said head, having a cam surface such that, when the adapter is disposed in the can opening, with said gasket resting on the outer surface of the wall portion surrounding the can opening (and with the portion of the adapter below said gasket being disposed within and below said can opening and within the can interior) turning of the element about its pivot in one direction decreases the distance between the ledge and the Washer thus clampingly securing the adapter to the wall portion surrounding the opening, and turning the element about its pivot in the opposite direction increases the distance between the ledge and the washer releases the adapter so that it can be removed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,544 7/1918 Sheinman 222567 X 1,297,113 3/1919 Domenico 220-245 X 2,607,370 8/1952 Anderson 22024.5 X 2,779,517 1/1957 Beall 220-24.5 X 2,824,577 2/1958 Grunsky 22024.5 X 3,170,607 2/ 1965 Anthon 222464 X FOREIGN PATENTS 76,159 1/1950 Norway.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. 

